Life is filled with adversities. Without warning, it can place us in front of an obstacle we’d never imagine ourselves to be in. Yet somehow, we find a way to come out the other end no matter the year, month…
In Community: the Importance of Reflection & Meaningful Work
By Betelehem Gulilat – Lead Editor & Writer
ZOOM, lockdown and asynchronous. These are some of many words that come to mind for this academic year. It’s also been a year of many firsts. Many more students have been attending classes remotely, campuses have transformed, and the Class of 2020 has celebrated their graduation virtually in their homes within their bubbles.
The uncertainty unearthed many concerns for the future both near and far. Whether its deciding where to study or spend time with friends, or travelling amongst a sea of students, losses have been felt all around. For others, the pandemic might have also felt like an unexpected gift to reflect on what’s important. Perhaps it’s been a mix of everything, too! We have seen these realities in our work, both through research projects and in our own teams. Reflection on what we have accomplished this last year not only helped us learn from our experiences, but it also reaffirmed why holding space for meaningful work is so important.
Learning by Doing At The Innovation Hub
By Betelehem Gulilat – Lead Editor & Writer Since our launch in June 2016, our work has been led by over 100 work-study students across different programs and years of study reflecting the diversity making up UofT’s campuses. From undergraduate to PhD students,…
‘Let’s Talk About Failure’ Call for Participation!
We are excited to share another upcoming call for participation for all students of the UofT community! When was the last time you experienced failure? What was your experience with failure like? Academic Success and the Innovation Hub would like to hear your story! We will be hosting…
‘Tell Us About Your College Experience’ Call for Participation!
Our team is excited to share our first call for participation for the year with our UofT student colleges community! The Colleges System at the St. George Campus brings together students from across the world to become part of a close-knit community that supports students in their academic and university journey at UofT. The Student Experience Working Group (from the Provost’s Review of the…
Acknowledging Black Experiences – A List of Resources for Learning & Growth
When it comes to social justice everyone has a role in ensuring our society is equitable and fair for all its members – no matter their race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or educational background.
For generations, Black lives continue to be undermined within our society as a result of long-standing institutional racism embedded in daily practices. To dismantle these systems in place, and to truly be anti-racist, we must understand the experiences of Black lives in various communities and examine our view of ourselves and one another.
Food Security: The Key to Student Self-Fulfillment
By Johanna Pokorny – Senior Research Assistant, Amal Yusuf – Data Analysis Researcher, Rosemarie Shephard – Data Analysis Researcher and Betelehem Gulilat – Lead Editor & Writer
In Canada alone, 2 out of 5 post-secondary students experience some form of food insecurity2. Food insecurity is described as inadequate and insecure access to food as a result of financial constraints3. Its prevalence within the student population is overlooked by many considering the significant implications it has on students’ livelihood, learning and overall well-being. It’s complex and interconnected with our core needs and different for each and every individual in our communities.
In Honour of Black History Month: Shining A Light on Anti-Black Racism
As we approach the month of February, the Innovation Hub will be recognizing and honouring Black History Month, a period dedicated to celebrating the centuries of traditions, heritage and achievements made by African Diaspora across the world. This upcoming month, a new chapter of history will be added to this powerful novel, based upon the series of unfortunate events that transpired over the past year. The previously existing racial injustices and violence faced by Black communities were for the first time observed on a world-wide scale. But most importantly, what was clearly observed was the concern of not only the past and present, but the future to come.
‘Silence ensures that history repeats itself’
Erin Gruwell
Using Design Thinking Mindsets For Rapid Change
With restrictions in place in many of our communities being flexible and responsive to new ideas has become essential. By finding creative ways to work around limitations, design thinking has come to the forefront. Organizations (like the Innovation Hub) are using design thinking to solve their own unique set of challenges, and nurture mindsets that inspire change. Since the lockdown, our Leadership Team has been navigating and responding to internal challenges in new ways and are continuing to do so – many of which are explored in this post.
Failing Forward: Embracing Failure In Our Work
No matter how many times failure comes knocking at your door, it can feel like a stranger you don’t want to welcome in. Failure looks different for everyone, but the way we perceive it is often similar – a feeling of defeat after expending time and effort on a specific task. Although it sounds cliché, failure is a valuable learning tool. It presents an opportunity to put yourself out there and be vulnerable by attempting something for the first time. In fact, many organizations are beginning to adopt this practice of ‘failing forward’, a term coined by John C. Maxwell, as a mindset of separating mistakes from self-worth and intentionally stepping into unfamiliarity to seize more from life. At the Innovation Hub, failure has not only been welcomed but embraced in the work that we do. It is an essential part of solving complex problems to help us expand on our ideas and pivot towards the side of innovation. Much of our work won’t be where it is today without embracing failure.